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Thursday, March 22, 2012

Casey Trees issues annual spring tree-care guide

Casey Trees has provided us with the following tips on keeping all the young trees alive and healthy in our neighborhood. Please consider adopting any new trees that have been planted on your block to make sure they survive the summer!!

Proper watering techniques and mulch installation are crucial for the growing season.

(Washington, D.C. — March 20, 2012) Though the D.C. area has experienced spring-like weather for weeks now, March 20 marks the official first day of spring and with it comes some useful tree-care tips from Casey Trees.

D.C. residents are encouraged to:

Install slow-release watering bags around newly planted trees. Practice 25 to Stay Alive by giving trees that have been in the ground less than three years 25 gallons of water, equal to 1.5 inches of rain, a week.

Remove winter weeds and emerging grasses from around the trunk base.

Add trunk guards if lawn mowers or weed whackers will come near the trees. If you live near locations with deer populations, install deer guards.

Apply mulch using the 3-3-3 rule — 3 inches of mulch in a 3-foot ring with a 3-inch space around the tree trunk.

Inspect for dead or crossing branches. Damaged branches should be pruned carefully. Dead branches should be removed.

For step-by-step instruction on how to properly plant and care for trees and information on programs available to D.C. residents to help offset the cost of purchasing trees, visit www.caseytrees.org.

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About Casey Trees:
Casey Trees is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, established in 2002, dedicated to restoring, enhancing and protecting the tree canopy of the nation's capital. For more information, visit www.caseytrees.org